WASHINGTON — The Redskins wrapped up the preseason with a 13-10 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday. Now the work begins for the coaches, who need to get their rosters down to 53 by Saturday at 4 p.m.
There was a change to this year’s cut-down rules. The NFL did away with the first cut, when teams were required to trim the roster to 75 after a couple weeks of preseason. This year, the new rule stated that teams only had to make a single cut before the regular season, meaning that come 4 p.m. Saturday there should be over 1,100 players suddenly available across the league.
While the starters sat for Washington’s final preseason game, there were a few players on the bubble that seemed to help their case to make the final 53-man roster for Week 1.
(AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack
Quarterback Nate Sudfeld played the entire game and definitely was on the bubble entering the game.The coaches need to decide if they’ve seen enough out of him to warrant a roster spot. He was the third quarterback last year and never dressed on gameday. If they think they can cut him and sign him back to the practice squad, that’s a possibility too. There is a lot of uncertainty at the quarterback position with Kirk Cousins’ future in Washington still up in the air.
(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
AP Photo/Chris O’Meara
Running back Mack Brown was in the same exact spot a year ago entering the final preseason game. He showed enough last year in Tampa to warrant a roster spot and might have done that on Thursday as well. He ran for 69 yards on 18 carries, averaging 3.8 yards a carry against the Bucs. This means that last years starter, Matt Jones, could be the odd man out. Jones had six carries for 11 yards in the game.
(AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack
Wide receiver Maurice Harris saw his his first extended preseason action on Thursday. After spending last year on the practice squad, he’s been slowed by a knee injury this summer. He caught three passes for 43 yards in the game and showed potential, but it’s unclear if that’s enough to make his case. With four of the wide receiver spots accounted for (Pryor Sr., Crowder, Grant and Doctson), it appears that Maurice Harris, Brian Quick and rookie Robert Davis could be fighting for one or two spots. Quick was signed in the offseason as a free agent after spending his first five years in the league with the Rams.
(AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
AP Photo/Jason Behnken
Linebacker Josh Harvey-Clemons, Washington’s seventh-round pick out of Louisville this spring, made perhaps the loudest single statement of the night. His 41-yard interception return scored the lone Redskins’ touchdown and sealed the game.
(AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack
One players name that all fans will be watching this weekend will be linebacker Nico Marley, the grandson of Bob Marley. He continues to make plays, but his size (5’8″, 200 lbs) has been the big issue all summer and could leave him on the wrong side of the roster cuts. He seems to be a candidate for the practice squad, but coaches have loved his effort and his ability to make plays throughout the preseason.
(AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
The final preseason game left Washington with a number of decisions to make heading into Saturday’s roster cuts. See which players may have helped their case to make the squad Thursday night.
